Fans of the Purple and Gold were gearing up for a playoff run without the stress of the play-in. Instead, injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves flipped that excitement into concern almost overnight. When Lakers legend Magic Johnson reacted to the news, it wasn’t just the injuries that grabbed attention. Fans quickly turned their focus to when he reacted.
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Johnson took to X on Tuesday, posting his reaction to Luka Doncic’s injury. “I’m devastated about Luka Doncic’s injury because he was having an MVP season and he should definitely be first-team All-NBA!”
I’m devastated about Luka Doncic’s injury because he was having an MVP season and he should definitely be first-team all NBA!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 7, 2026
He then followed on that minutes later: “Just when I thought Luka’s injury was devastating for my Lakers we got the news that Austin Reaves will also be out with an oblique injury. The timing of these injuries couldn’t be worse with the NBA Playoffs a week away,” he tweeted, accompanied by a sad emoji reaction.
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Both injuries came during a 139-96 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. Meanwhile, Reaves’ situation took an unusual turn. After an initial MRI scanned the wrong area, head coach JJ Redick confirmed a second scan revealed a Grade 2 oblique strain on Saturday.
The timing couldn’t be worse for both the player and the team. Doncic was averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds, leading the league in scoring before going down. While that puts his individual awards at risk, the bigger concern is what it means for the Lakers heading into the postseason.
Doncic’s absence immediately shifts the burden onto LeBron James, who now has to carry even more in his 23rd season. At the same time, Reaves was in the middle of a breakout year, averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on efficient splits, emerging as one of the team’s most reliable scoring options.
Doncic is already pursuing an accelerated recovery, reportedly traveling to Spain for specialized treatment, according to his agent Bill Duffy. However, Reaves’ 4-6 week timeline likely rules him out for most, if not all, of the first-round series, with the playoffs set to begin April 18.
Still, the reaction itself wasn’t what caught fans off guard. It was the timing.
Fans Push Back on Magic Johnson’s Timing on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves’ Injury
The replies came in instantly. One user summed up the mood bluntly: “U a lil late unc.” The frustration stemmed from the fact that Johnson’s tweets arrived nearly four days after the injuries were first reported. Another fan echoed the sentiment, posting: “Bro are you living in the past.”
USA Today via Reuters
June 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Magic Johnson during the fourth quarter in game one of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-100 in overtime for a 1-0 series lead. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Another fan took it further, joking: “You’re so late with this news that you must have tweeted this from the far side of the Moon.” Others leaned into the confusion, with one user writing, “Magic tweeted so late I thought there was more bad news on Luka and AR.”
This isn’t the first time Johnson’s posts have sparked this kind of reaction. Over the years, fans have built a reputation around what they call “Magic tweets” — straightforward or delayed observations that often state what’s already widely known. That history only amplified the reaction this time, turning a routine injury response into a viral moment.
None of the reactions questioned how damaging the injuries were for Los Angeles. The Lakers, sitting near the top of the Western Conference after winning 16 of their last 18 games, suddenly face a completely different reality heading into the playoffs.
Redick made it clear the goal hasn’t changed. “We’re going after the 3-seed and we’re going to try to win a playoff series.” LeBron echoed that urgency. “There’s no way you can replace that type of impact… we all have to do a little bit more.”
Whether Johnson’s timing missed the moment or not, his concern reflects the bigger picture. The Lakers are heading into the postseason with two of their most important players sidelined, and no margin for error left.
Written by
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Ved Vaze